


Day One: Autumn Leaves

by seleenermparis



Series: Fictober 2019 [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 02:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20846408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seleenermparis/pseuds/seleenermparis
Summary: For Mass Effect Fanfiction writer's Facebook Page fictober challenge. Day One: Autumn Leaves. Inspired by Nat King Cole's version of "Autumn Leaves" ..."But I miss you most my darling, when autumn leaves start to fall"





	Day One: Autumn Leaves

**Author's Note:**

> For Mass Effect Fanfiction writer's Facebook Page fictober challenge.  
Day One: Autumn Leaves  
Series: Original Trilogy  
Pairing: Shakarian  
Characters: Shepard; Vakarian  
#MEFFictober2019

The brisk wind made Garrus shiver. Chicago was cold this time of year, Joker had claimed. He was right. The breeze off the lake made it frigid compared to home let alone the dampness in the air. What Joker didn't say was how beautiful it was. He'd seen picture of Earth before. Even when their trees where changing their color. Nothing in the universe compared to the vibrancy of seeing it in person.

Rain had stopped prior to his arrival to the city and the already fallen leaves shimmered with he remaining puddles and droplets. The fiery red mixed with the yellows and oranges beside their own personal lakes.

"Just like her hair." He whispered to himself.

It had been a galactic standard year since the war ended and slightly less since they had found her. The universe had combed every small mound to find the Human who had saved them all. How she had survived was anyone's guess. She was Commander Jane Shepard. If she hadn't survived, no one could have. He had made it his mantra to keep his spirits up while they were trying to find any trace of her. Just when he was just beginning to loose it, they found her. Alive, but just barely. 

Because the Alliance Military Training Base at Great Lakes they brought her to was basically a pile of rubble and didn't have the resources to handle her condition, they had her transferred her to a civilian hospital in the downtown area of the former metropolis. It had remarkably survived mostly in tact, as had the majority of the surrounding shopping district. He assumed it wasn't a high priority to destroy mostly because no sane person would be out shopping when the world was ending. 

Now all that needed to happen was for her to wake up from her coma. Then they could begin their "Ever after" together. 

Carrying a few bags, he purposefully walked down what the locals called "the Magnificent Mile" and down East Huron Street to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He checked the robin's egg blue bag he just picked up a few minutes ago. Yes, it was still there. Good. Even with the strides the universe was making, there were still thieves. It wasn't the most inconspicuous bag after all and he had a feeling that most of the Humans which passed him knew what already was in it. From the smiles which he saw by the occasional female as they snuggled up to their partner, what else could it be?

When he finally arrived at her room, he went inside and no one was there. Good. He wanted a few minutes of peace alone with her before the daily insanity would begin. 

He leaned own and nuzzled the side of her face. After placing his bags down on the table, he climbed into the bed beside her. He turned onto his side to face her. "Hey, I needed to stretch my legs and pick up a couple of things. Sorry that I had to leave, but I'm back now."

There wasn't a response, but he really expected one. She was still unconscious which had been her condition since they had found her. She was breathing on her own and had some response to stimuli; which he'd been assured was a good sign. 

"I talked to Tali earlier while I was getting breakfast. She said they're almost done building done building her home on Rannoch. She sent me some images of the place. You should see the view. When you wake up, we'll go and see it for ourselves. She's already working on a room for us. What's really odd, is seeing her without her face mask, Jane. You told me about what she looks like under all of that, but I didn't really get it until I saw her. I guess I just got use to her suit, I guess." 

He gave an awkward chuckled, but it stopped when he heard someone walk down the hallway toward them. Once they had passed, he remembered the bag he had with the purchase he just made. He took it off the bed table and opened it. Inside the small bag was a matching colored box. Inside of that, was a ring that he'd been promised which was appropriate for the occasion. He hadn't been able to read the language on the bag nor the store front, but when he saw the jewelry in the window, he took a chance. 

"Shepard, I know toward the end there I hinted at my desire for the future. I'm not going to lie and say that was just because there was this large chance we weren't going to survive. I love you, Jane. I asked you then and I'll ask you again when you wake. Marry me, Jane. Marry me, but you need to wake up in order to do that. I need to know it just wasn't a dire last minute thing. I want to give this to you. I want to make you my bondmate."

He nuzzled her head again as he took her hand. He could have sworn once he did, he felt her thumb move against his.

*****

**Author's Note:**

> Here are some basic guidelines and etiquette we are asking of our participants:
> 
> 1) Write a story with the prompt given. Post it preferably on the day the prompt is assigned to. We would also prefer if they were new stories rather than old ones.
> 
> 2)Please indicate the following at the beginning of your post: a) title b)rating preferably with why c)pairing if applicable d) Andromeda or Original trilogy e) tag it #MEFFictober2019 f) indicate which prompt it is for
> 
> 3) Do not worry if you skip a day or whatever. The main point of this is to have fun. Post late? That’s okay. Combine themes? Coolio too (please indicate which days you’re combining). If you only take a part of the theme? I approve! 
> 
> 4) We are going to do something that not a lot of fictober events do. We’re going to offer a weekly prompt in addition to daily prompts. There were those who expressed in our group that they’d like to see a weekly prompt for those who could not do a daily situation. Not that a daily thing is mandated, but I figured that would be fun too. The prompts will be posted on a seven day interval (ie. if the prompt is for day one, the next one will not be assigned until the 8th).
> 
> 5) And finally, remember this is meant to be fun. Please have some. Don’t stress over it. :D I promise I won’t come after you with my best witch impression and asked why you haven’t done your homework yet.
> 
> If you would like the full list, message me and I'll send you the link.


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